[Sponsored Report] SK going global with contributions

SK Telecom supports financial aid and donates equipment needed for surgery for children who are born with facial malformations.

The social contribution activities of SK are now spreading throughout the world, exceeding the barriers of geography and race. To fulfill the social responsibilities of a global company, SK has a great interest in global contribution activities.

SK has overseas contribution activities in connection with employees and client volunteer groups. The overseas volunteer activities that started in 2005 are expanding its range of beneficiaries together with SK volunteer group, SK Telecom university student volunteer group and on site volunteer groups.

The “spreading happiness” philosophy of SK Telecom is evident in Vietnam. Even before SK Telecom entered the Vietnamese market it had a good friendship and relationship with the country, and has conducted various social contribution activities to fulfill its role as a responsible, global company. Under the three principles of global social contribution: “happy revival,” “happy participation” and “happy transformation.”

Social contribution activities started in Vietnam in 1996 to try and resolve inequalities in education and to support social welfare programs. From 1996 to 2009 the company has supported surgery for children who were born with face malformations. To resolve the education problems the company has been operating the SK Telecom bookstore project since 2006. Also through the SK Telecom IT Center, which was constructed in December 2007, it is delivering advanced IT technology to Vietnam. By nurturing IT talent in Vietnam and helping people find jobs, it hopes to contribute Vietnamese society.

SK has been working to encourage teenage talent in China since 2000 through “SK Quiz Jang-wen-bang,” a Chinese scholarship quiz. It has also supported academic activities such as the Shanghai and Beijing forums and has participated in social responsibility management activities in China, such as constructing schools in poorer regions. The company also delivered relief aid to Sichuan in the wake of a deadly earthquake and is settling down as a China insider by constructing SK Happiness elementary schools.

In Mongolia it is working to improve the telecommunication environment by offering loans for mobile phones to Jargalant residents who cannot afford one. Jargalant residents are isolated and so without mobile technology information takes longer to reach them. With these loans they can communicate with other regions and exchange information.

By Lee Ji-hyun [concordia@joongang.co.kr]